Movies for the Day, Monday, May 22, 2017

Today's movies feature detective Sherlock Holmes and two assassinated politicians.





The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
is a classic movie featuring the famous
detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
born this date, May 22, in 1859.  It
features an American Film Institute Quote,
"Elementary, my dear Watson."



The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes









Z (1969) is based on a true life
incident, the political assassination
of Greek politician Grigoris
Lambrakis, on this date, May 22, 1963.
Lambrakis died May 27.  The film
is also about the investigation that
followed.  The movie won Oscars for
Best Foreign Language Film and Film
Editing.


Z







The Times of Harvey Milk (1984) is
a documentary about Harvey Milk, the
first openly gay person elected to public
office in California.  He won a seat on the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors in
1977.  He was assassinated in November 1978.
He was born this date, May 22, in 1930.
The film won an Oscar as Best Feature
Documentary.  Dan White, also a Supervisor,
assassinated Milk and Mayor Moscone.  The
film is listed on the National Film Registry.

The Times of Harvey Milk

Movies for the Day, Sunday, May 21, 2017

Today's movies feature baseball, a famous murder case, and a Roman emperor.

The Stratton Story (1949) tells the story of
Monty Stratton, a baseball player who loses
a leg in a hunting accident.  Stratton was born
this date, May 21, in 1912.  The movie won
an Oscar for Original Screenplay.







The Stratton Story






Constantine and the Cross (1962) is
a biopic of the 4th Century Roman
emperor who converted to Catholicism.
He is known as St. Constantine the
Great and his feast day is May 21.



Constantine and the Cross











Swoon (1992) is a dramatic look
at Chicago's 1924 Leopold-Loeb
thrill killing.  Two wealthy Chicago
college students kidnapped and
murdered a 14-year-old boy, Robert
Franks, on this date, May 21.  Another
movie version is Compulsion (1959).



Swoon

Movies for the Day, Saturday, May 20, 2017

Rock n Roll, murder, and romance- find them all in today's movies.



Rock Around the Clock (1956) is a time capsule
of the emergence of rock n roll.   Rock Around the
Clock was by Bill Haley and His Comets and
released this date, May 20, in 1954.





Rock Around the Clock









Anatomy of a Murder (1959) is a
great courtroom crime drama film,
starring James Stewart, born this
date, May 20, 1908.  The movie is
listed on the National Film Registry.
May 1, as we have seen, was Law Day.



Anatomy of a Murder







Moonstruck (1987) is a romance within
an Italian-American milieu.  This romantic
comedy won Oscars for Best Actress, Cher, born
this date, May 20, in 1946, and Supporting Actress,
Olympia Dukakis, and Writing.  It features an
American Film Institute Quote, "Snap out of it!"





Moonstruck

Movies for the Day, Friday, May 19, 2017

A police drama, coal mining country, and Malcom X are the themes for today's movies.

It is still Police Week.  Naked City (September
30, 1958 to May 29, 1963) is a television
police drama set in New York City that ran for four
seasons and 138 episodes.  The semi-anthology
won Emmys for Cinematography (twice) and Editing.






Naked City






Matewan (1987) is the story of
labor troubles in West Virginia
coal mining country in the 1920s.
The Battle of Matewan took place
May 19, 1920.





Matewan





Malcolm X (1992) is a biography
of a controversial African American
leader.  It is based on The Autobiography
of Malcom X as told to Alex Haley, who also
wrote Roots.  See also Malcolm X (1972), a
documentary.


Malcolm X

Movies for the Day, Thursday, May 18, 2017

Today's movies feature Perry Como, the TVA, and a museum.




The Perry Como Show (1948-1967) featured beloved
singer and entertainer Perry Como, born this date,
May 18, 1912.  This musical, comedy, and variety
series won an Emmy in 1959 for Best Performance by
an Actor (Continuing Character) in a Musical or Variety
Series (to Perry Como) in 1959.





The Perry Como Show






In Wild River (1960), a Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) official tries to convince
an elderly woman to sell her property before
flooded.  Also a romantic film, this movie
was set in 1930s Tennessee and is listed on
the National Film Registry.  The TVA was
founded May 18,1933.



Wild River













Closed Mondays (1974) is about a man visiting
a museum who sees works of art come to
life.  Clay figures are used.  This film won an
Oscar as Best Short Animated Film.  Today is
International Museum Day.

Closed Mondays

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Today's movies feature terrorism, Montreal, and race relations.


Juggernaut (1974) is about a bomb on an
ocean liner and a demand for ransom.  It
is inspired by real events on the Queen
Elizabeth II, a bomb hoax on this date,
May 17, in 1972.







Juggernaut






Crac (1980) won an Oscar as Best Short
Animated Film.  It is about the
industrialization of Montreal as seen from the
point of view of a rocking chair.
Montreal, Canada, was founded on May
17, 1642.


Crac












Separate But Equal (1991) tells the story
of the landmark United States Supreme
Court case that found segregated schools
unconstitutional.  The case was handed down
this date, May 17, in 1954.  The case was
Brown v Board of Education.  It won an Emmy
for Casting.





Separate But Equal

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Today's movies are about an aging couple, the 1960s Freedom Riders, and Liberace.


On Golden Pond (1981) is about an aging
couple, their Maine lakefront home, and
family.  The movie won Oscars for Best Actor,
Henry Fonda, and Best Actress, Katharine
Hepburn, and for Writing.  Fonda was born
this date, May 16, in 1905.  Hepburn was also born
in May, on the 12th, in 1907.  I featured her on
May 12, 2017, in The Lion in Winter.  May is also
Older Americans Month which I noted on May 4,
2017 with The Golden Girls.  This passionate and
inspiring comedy/drama features an American Film
Institute Score and an AFI Quote, "Listen to me,
mister.  You're my knight in shining armor.  Don't you
forget it.  You're going to get back on that horse, and
I'm going to be right behind you, holding on tight,
and away we're gonna go, go, go!"

On Golden Pond



The Freedom Riders (2011) was aired this
date, May 16, in honor of the 50th anniversary
of the first freedom ride in May 1961.  This
episode of the PBS series, The American
Experience, won Emmys for Writing,
Picture Editing, and Exceptional Merit in
Nonfiction Film Making.  The Freedom
Riders sought racial justice in the South.



The Freedom Riders





Behind the Candelabra (2013) is an
HBO television movie about famed
entertainer Liberace and his tempestuous
romance with a younger man.  It won
Emmys for Lead Actor, Michael Douglas,
Directing, Art Direction, Costumes,
Sound Mixing, Picture Editing, Makeup,
Casting, Hairstyling, and as Outstanding
Miniseries or Movie. Liberace was born
this date, May 16, in 1919.

Behind the Candelabra